The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, October 18, 1920, Page 5

. These elevators at New England, N. D., are typical of the hundreds of country elevators operated in that state. The elevators have something to say about the prices at which they will buy or sell, and make money. Until the farmer has something to say about the price at which he buys or sells, he can not make money. What Does It Cost to Grow Wheat? The Result of State and Government Investigations in North Dakota Show 1920 Crop Being Sold at a Loss =]HEAT grown in North Dakota in 1919 #| cost the farmers of that state close to $3 per bushel to raise. While figures are not yet available for 1920, it is certain that the costs this year were almost equally high. The 1919 crop cost is shown in a recent bulletin of the North Da- kota Agricultural college, entitled “The Cost of Producing Wheat and Other Crops in North Dakota in 1919.” This bulletin can be secured by farmers upon request, and should be studied by every pro- ducer who wants to know whether he is operating at a profit or a loss. Three different methods of investigation were followed in arriving at the figures contained in this pamphlet. By all three methods substantially simi- lar results were obtained. Let us examine the three methods in order and the results obtained from each. The first method followed by the college investi- gators was to obtain from groups of farmers, as- sembled in meetings at different parts of the state, their estimated costs in producing 1919 wheat. These groups of farmers were in five different coun- ties—Barnes, Grand Forks, Pembina, Pierce and Stutsman—in widely scattered portions of the state. The costs of these different groups were averaged and the results, per acre, were found to be as follows for different items: -Average Items of cost per acre Wseof land -t o oy $3.10 Seed (1.14 bu. per acre) .....c...... 2.91 Man labor (6.4 hours per acre) 3.48 Horse labor (19.4 hours per acre) 4.52 Machinery «.coiiia taiaiin 1.40 Manure .. e =40 Twine ......... .. .46 Threshing ..... 2.22 Management . e Ay Crop inSUrancCe .....cceccceceecceeceecceeccce .28 Potal sica i nn s wiia s g s $20.54 Average yield, seven bushels per acre. Average cost per bushel, $2.93. : The average yields in most states is . higher than in North Dakota.. However, the cost per acre is also correspondingly higher in such states. The figure for “use of land” will have to be doubled in many states. Man labor and horse labor were figured as follows in arriving at the figures above: Man Horse hours hours Operations per acre per acre PlOWINE ..coceicoieeesaecmmnamacn 2.0 8.0 Harrowing D 2.0 Disking ...... T 4 2.7 Seeding ... 5 2.0 Cutting ... 6 2.5 Shocking . 6 Hauling grain ... iz e 1.0 Miscellaneous ............ 1.0 1.2 Potal: it 6.4 19.4 It was found that the average cost per - cents was taken. ONE RESULT OF LOW PRICES day of man labor was $3.84 and the average cost of board $1 additional. This made the cost of 6.4 hours of man labor $3.48. The cost of mamtammg a work horse was found to be as follows: Depreciation (10 per cent on prime value of $150) Interest on 1fivestment at 8 per cent Feed Total =LAl [t e T s L e S, e TR 176 In figuring crop insurance the state rate of 28 Private hail insurance charges were much higher. No account was taken of the lost fertility of the soil, which would have made the total much higher. - SECOND INVESTIGATION MADE BY GOVERNMENT EXPERTS The second investigation included in this teport is that made by the United States departmen} of agriculture on 389 farms in Grand Forks county (in eastern North Dakota) and on 39 farms in Morton county (western North Dakota). The government figures for average acreage costs for various items were as follows: - —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris. One result of low prices for farm products will be that the farmer will be unable to pay his help wages that will meet city wage scales. There will be a further exodus of workers from the farm to the city. will be more city workers competing against each other for jobs, making wages lower, while lessened food pro- duction will make food prices higher. PAGE FIVE - . Grand Forks Morton Items county county Use of 1and ...cceeececemeeceescacencace $4.51 $2.36 Seed ........... .. 3.39 2.98 Man labor . 2.94 3.22 Horse labor . 3.35 4.16 Machinery ... 1.57 2.16 Manure ... 22 .29 Twine ......... 2o =D .02 Threshing ....ccicuiimnmns 2.78 43 Overhead (management) .... 1.59 1.46 Crop insurance ............. .18 21 Abandoned acreage ................ 97 94 Total solkiedt e o b..-$22.07 $18.23 Credit for straw ................ .19 .00 Net cost per acre ........... $21.88 $18.23 $2Average cost per bushel, Grand Forks county, .24, Average cost per bushel, Morton county, $4.25. In making the calculations above man labor was reckoned at 35 cents per hour (including board), except at harvest time, when the figure was set at 60 cents per hour. For horse labor a flat figure of 20 cents per hour was adopted. In figuring hail insurance the actual amount paid by all farmers was taken and divided by the number of farmers. The government figures were all made on the basis of acreage planted. The cost of the acreage on which the crop was a total failure was therefore prorated among the acres which were harvested. The item of “credit for straw” is explain- ed by the fact that in eastern North Dakota a portion of the straw was sold. The third investigation of 1919 wheat costs was made by state college experts on 85 farms, 18 in eastern North Dakota and 17 in western North Dakota, which kept uniform sets of records prescribed by the college authorities. Following are detailed costs found by this method: Eastern Western Items of cost group group Use of land ............ $3.97 $2.41 Man labor ..... . 2.08 1.62 Horse labor 4.04 3.21 Seed ........... 3.10" 2.53 Manure - 1.37 1.35 Twine ... .. .46 Jd4 Threshing " . 2.02 66 Machinery .. . 1.18 1.09 Automobile .. - 20 J14 Tractor ........... .. 48 31 Management ........ 1.12 .85 Other expenses ...... 1.64 .80 ' Total acre cost ..$21.66 $15.11 Eastern group: Yield per acre, 10.26 bu o cost per bushel, $2.11. Western group: Yield per acre, 4.563 bu.; cost per bushel, $3.34. Both costs and yxeld per bushel were (Continued on page 9) There